The Rotary Club of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix has announced that it has up to £5000 available to fund suitable projects in the Horbury and Ossett and surrounding areas of Wakefield and Kirklees. The cash has been raised by a number of fund raising efforts over the past 12 months such as Horbury Show, Santa’s Sleigh and the Christmas raffle. Rotary Club President, Chris Taylor said, “We raise money to support both local and international good causes, but by far the majority of what we raise goes back into our local community and that is the area we wish to target with an appeal for community, youth and sporting groups, and individuals, to come forward and apply for financial assistance. We are anticipating making grants/donations in the region of £400 each but will consider both larger and smaller requests for funding.”

Any organisation or individual wishing to make an application should contact the Rotary Club by telephone on 01924 279836 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before 15 February 2017. An application form will be provided and it is intended that decisions will be made and applicants notified by 15 April 2017 with a view to a presentation evening on 5 May 2017.

Previous application invitations have resulted in the Rotary club funding equipment and team strips for youth sports teams; assistance with gaining coaching qualifications for adults involved in junior sport; the purchase of specialist equipment for individuals with additional needs; personal development courses for young people e.g. Outward Bound, Operation Raleigh; the provision of furnishings or decorations for those in need; Christmas meals for the elderly.

Over the past 18 months financial support or donations in excess of £28,000 were made in respect of Local Hospices; Christmas Gifts for the elderly; Provision of hyacinths for the blind or partially sighted; Outward Bound Courses, Rotary Youth Leadership Award bursaries; Horbury Churches Together and Ossett Brickhouse Youth Projects; Kids Out for Kingsland School; Junior sports provision; and Barnados (Wakefield),Yorkshire Air Ambulance, drought relief in Kenya, Benches for Carr Lodge Park, Foodbanks, Wakefield & District Carers.

November 2016...Cheque presentation by Phoenix Rotary President Chris Taylor to Jill O'Connell of Wakefeld District Carers for £420The cheque was presented at a Seminar held for Dementia and Alzheimer Carers of which some are pictured in the photo.

The money is to help fund four creative craft workshops in Horbury & Ossett District...offering support to them.

In September 2016 we presented a cheque for £1,500 to Roger Parkinson (seen receiving the cheque) in respect of the Carr Lodge Park bench project.

Roger has added the following Thanks and Information:

"Thank you to Horbury and Ossett Pheonix Rotary Club who today presented a cheque to us to produce 10 new benches for Horbury Carr Lodge Park. (Photos attached with a sample of the design to be used)

The new benches will be made over the next few months ready to be placed in the Park in early 2017 by Wakefield Street Scene Dept.

The funding allows us to purchase the materials and engage service users from the Day Opportunities Team during the Autumn-Winter period at The Rose Garden Nursery, Thornes Park.

This adds another activity to the range we are able to provide during the year and provides much needed benches for Carr Lodge Park. We have restored nearly 100 benches for Wakefield's Parks over the last four years but these will be made of all new parts...Made in Wakefield’

Last week one of our Phoenix Rotary members, Alan Hudders, was walking behind a young lad who was riding his micro scooter to school when his back wheel collapsed making it unridable. The lad, whose name is Kyle, naturally was a bit distraught and what might appear to be just a small event to many people was a very real disaster to that young rider...

So Alan being Alan, a very kind man, arranged to take the scooter away to assess the damage...

The bearings had collapsed and the axle pin had broken. Alan ordered new bearings and enlisted the help of another of our Phoenix members Stuart Wilby, who, being a very fine and resourceful engineer by profession, was able to supply another bearing and also turn a new axle pin. Stuart then reassembled and fitted the rear wheel parts returning Kyle's micro scooter to full working order.

Alan and Stuart were delighted to deliver the scooter back to Kyle on the last day of school in time for the Summer Holidays. Young Kyle was over the moon!

Once again the weather gods smiled on Horbury Show where a record crowd were well entertained last Sunday. A lot of people were already visiting the attractions before the 11am start time and things got busier very quickly after that – with many families attending early and staying until late afternoon. The car parking in the park was stretched to the limit from 1pm through to 3.30pm and contingency arrangements with parking at Horbury Academy had to be implemented.Show organiser, Rotarian John Faulkner, said “We had an excellent attendance last year, but I am certain there were more people than ever here this year. It was great to see many of them enjoying the attractions, visiting the stalls and catering facilities, and picnicking in some of the quieter areas of the park. There can be no doubt that more people visit Carr Lodge Park for this event than at any other time during the year.”The accounts for the Show are still being prepared but it is anticipated that The Rotary Club profit will be over £13,000 which will go into their Charitable Trust Fund for distribution during the next 12 months. Last year Horbury and Ossett Phoenix Rotary Club distributed over £22,000 to charities and good causes, mainly in the local area.The Rotary Club wish to re-iterate their sincere thanks to Richard Kendall Estate Agents (main sponsor) and all sponsors and supporters for making the Horbury Show a great success in 2016. The next Horbury Show will be on Sunday 25 June 2017.

The attached photograph shows six members of the Rotary Club of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix who, on Friday 6th May 2016, visited the Yorkshire Air Ambulance at Nostell to present a cheque for £7000, profit from the Rugby Dinner in February 2016 which featured Martin Johnson CBE and Austin Healey.

The Rotarians were fortunate that the Air Ambulance was not on a call and they enjoyed a superb guided tour and presentation of the aircraft and the roles carried out by its crew. Rotary Club President Mick Miller said, “We are delighted to be able to donate such a nice some of money to the Air Ambulance – it and others round the country are regularly saving lives that otherwise may have been lost, and of course it is not unknown for the helicopter to be used to evacuate seriously injured players from rugby pitches.”

All profits raised by The Rotary Club of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix are paid into the clubs Charitable Trust which is supervised by The Charity Commissioners. Over the past year £21,761.10 from the Trust has been donated to good causes, individuals, and other charitable organisations the vast majority of which serve the local community with some emphasis , but not exclusively, on Horbury, Ossett and surrounding villages.

The next major fundraising event will be the Horbury Show on Sunday 26 June 2016 when a fly past from a BBMF Spitfire has been confirmed (subject to weather) and the fabulous Colourscape experience of music and light will be operating all day. There will of course be many other activities and entertainment for all the family.

Rugby Word Cup winning Captain Martin Johnson C.B.E , and England and British Lions wing three-quarter Austin Healey were the guest speakers at the Charity Dinner held on Thursday 25th February 2016 to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and rotary charities. Over 300 people attended, many from local businesses, and the event was supported by many of the local golf clubs and restaurants that provided items for inclusion in an auction and raffle.Barry York, a Lofthouse based comedian, was the MC and got the evening off to a great start with his cheeky style of humour. The humour continued when Austin Healey and Martin Johnson got up to perform a double act responding to questions from the audience. Healey as usual being the funny guy putting himself in danger of upsetting Johnson the straight man – they worked very well together and provided great entertainment for their audience.Rotary Club President Mick Miller, who is also father-in-law to Austin Healey, said “We are very grateful to Jonno and Austin for generously supporting our fund raising efforts. With the help of our audience we have raised over £8500, of which £7000 will go directly to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, and the balance will go into our Rotary Club Charity account for distribution to good causes”

Horbury and Ossett Phoenix Club members wish to thank all those that supported our 2015 Christmas Raffle with their usual generosity in buying tickets. The profits of the Raffle will benefit mainly local charities. Particular thanks go to the Coop's of both Horbury and Ossett for allowing us to sell tickets on their premises ... Happy 2016 everyone.

The Rotary Club of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix is delighted to host a Charity Rugby Dinner on Thursday 25 February 2016 (7 for 7.30pm) at The Unity Hall, Westgate Wakefield, when our main speakers will be Englands only Rugby Union World Cup winning Captain Martin Johnson CBE, with England and British Lions Rugby Union half-back, star of ‘Strictly’ and now BT rugby commentator/pundit, Austin Healey. This event will be suitable for all family members above the age of 15 years.

Yorkshire Air Ambulance will be the main beneficiary of profits (70%) raised by the event with the balance being distributed between a number of Rotary charities including youth sport and development.

Our MC for the evening will be the excellent comedian Barry York who comes highly recommended by the best MC in the North, Malcolm Lord. A 3 course meal will be provided (menu attached) and there will be a raffle and auction to raise more money for the excellent charities. Entry into the raffle will cost £10 per person and there will be lots of prizes.

Tickets are £40 each and round Tables of 10 can be booked. Bookings of fewer than 10 people will be seated with others to make up full tables. A minimum of £10 deposit per person is required when booking and the balance must be paid by 10 February 2016.

To book, or make further enquiries, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone Rotarian Bill Sutton on 01924 279836. Cheques should be made payable to R.C. of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix. Booking forms and a copy of the menu can be downloaded by clicking the mini one below... Also you may download a poster and disp[lay it somewhere for us...THANKYOU

Mick Miller, the President of the Rotary Club of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix, and Mike Robb, Chairman of the clubs’ Youth Committee, presented new books to enhance the school library at Ossett Towngate Primary School which were gratefully accepted by pupils along with the schools literacy leader Sarah Mitchell.

The President said that reading is vital to the learning process of young children and the club was highly delighted to help the school increase its range of reading books.

Towngate pupils and Teacher Sarah Mitchell accepting some of the books delivered by Rotary Club President Mick Miller.